Contact-type lifting device



p 1963 J. D. NOBLE ETAL 3,102,751

coN AcT-TyPE LIFTING DEVICE Filed Dec. 22, 1959 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS JACK 0- N05 LE GEORGE "(BENTLEY EDGAR 6 [GE ATTORNEY p 1963' J. D. NOBLE ETAL 3,102,751

CONTACT-TYPE LIFTING DEVICE Filed Dec. 22, 1959 s Shets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS JACK 0. NOBLE GEORGE w. BENTLEY "564R R102 ATTORNEY Sept. 3, 1963 J. D. NOBLE ETAL CONTACT-TYPE LIFTING DEVICE Filed Dec. 22, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 a fig. 5: INVENTORS JACK D. NOBLE GEORGE W B/E/VTLEY ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,102,751 CONTACT-TYPE LIFTING DEVICE Jack l )onald Noble, 3649 Happy Valley Road, Lafayette, Calrfl; George W. Bentley, 36 Orchard Road, Orinda,

Calif.; and Edgar C. Rice, 1435 Edward Court, Lafayette, Calif.

Filed Dec. 22, 1959, Ser. No. 861,265 6 Claims. (Cl. 294-65) Such sheets could not heretofore be handled by contactlift devices, such as vacuum-cup machines, for they could not adjust to such large variations in level.

In other plants, sheets of sheet metal, such as aluminum, are stretched to form much longer sheets. In such plants, vacuum-cup transfer devices have also run into ditficulties due to difficulty in compensating for height differences. Thus, one portion of the vacuum cup machine lifts the unstretched original sheets from stacks and transfers to the stretcher, while another portion of the same lifting machine (operating in tandem with the first portion) transfers stretched sheets to a new stack. Each stack may be at a different level, and the level of the stacks changes during operation. Moreover, part of the stretching machine itself may be in the way. Height adjustments of as much as live feet have to be compensated for automatically in order for operation to be successful.

The present invention solves both these problems and others where there are wide diiferences in the contact level of the different cups. It does this by providing automatic level compensation, While still retaining the general type of operation of such devices as Patent No. 2,941,675 to Jack D. Noble et al.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear from the following description of a preferred embodiment.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a view in front elevation of a plate-lifting machine embodying the principles of the invention, shown lifting an irregular-surfaced plate. Parts have been broken to conserve space.

FIG. 2 is a view in end elevation of the machine of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is :an enlarged view in elevation and in section of a portion of the machine of FIGS. 1 and 2, taken on the line 33 in FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic view in side elevation of a tandem machine generally like that of FIGS. 1'3, shown being used in connection with a stretching machine. One position of the machine is shown in solid lines, and another position is shown in broken lines.

FIG. 5 is a view in end elevation of the machine of FIG. 4 taken along the line 5-5 in FIG. 4, and showing a typical stretching mechanism which has been omitted from FIG. 4 in order to avoid confusion.

The plate-lifting machine of FIGS. 1 and 2 has a main frame mounted for movement onwheels or rollers 11 along a track 12. A plurality of suction cups 13 are carried by a subframe beam 14, which is moved up and down vertically by raising-and-lowering means =15 of any suitable type, such as are shown and described in Patent No. 2,941,675. In operation, the beam 14 is lowered until all the cups 13 are in contact with "a sheet of material 16. In accordance with Patent No. 2,941,675, there is a limit switch 17 which does not energize the suction apparatus until all the cups 13 are under pressure sufiir a general lateral slope.

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2 cient to compress their springs 18 somewhat, thereby assuring good contact. Then the beam 14 is lifted by the raising-and-lowcring means 15, to raise the plate 16, for example, to lift it off a stack; the frame 10 then is moved along the track 12 to a desired position, where the beam 14 is lowered and the suction thus released from the cups 13 to deposit the plate 16 in a new position.

The apparatus as described so far is not new to this invention, which has additional features that overcome special difiiculties which arise with plate that has an irregular or partially curved surface.

In this invention, the beam 14 comprises a. pair of facing channels 20 (see 'FIG. 3) to which a series of vertical pipes 21 are releasably clamped by clamps 22, so that the pipes 21 can be slid along the channels 20' to any desired position. Longer vertical pipes 23 are slidably mounted in the pipes 21, a cap 24 preventing each pipe 23 from falling out of its pipe 21. The weight of the pipes 23 normally causes the cap 24 to rest on the top of the pipes 21, but the pipes 23 are free to move upwardly when subjected to upward force sufficient to more than balance the weight holding them down.

At the bottom of each pipe 23 a cross-beam 25 is pivotally supported by a stub shaft 26. A pivot pin 27 similar-ly supports a support rod or pipe 28 for each cup 13, and the spring 18 surrounds the rod or pipe 28 and bears between the cup 13 and the cross-beam 25. The usual suction connections are provided.

In operation, where the device is to pick up an irregular sheet 16, the beam 14 is lowered until all the cups 13 have made contact and have compressed their springs 18 and the limit switch 17 is actuated. Because of the irregular surface of the plate 16, some cups 13 come against the plate '16, compress their springs 18 long before others even touch the plate 16; but when this happens, the raising-and-lowening means 15 continues to lower the beam 14, but the pipes 23 supporting these earlycontacting cups 13 slide up through the pipes 21 an amount that compensates for the difference. Also, the cross beam 25 may tilt about its pivot 26 where there is The limit switch 17 is located so that all the cups 13 are in proper contact with the plate 16 before its circuit is closed to stop further downward movement of the subframe beam 14 and actuate the suction apparatus, as in Patent No. 2,941,675, operation continuing as in that patent as to lifting, carrying, and release.

In a tandem device for stretching machines or the like (see FIGS. 4 and 5) the same general structure may be utilized. Here, unstretched plates 30 are to be carried from a stack 31 by the cups :13 of a portion 32 of the lifting machine, to the stretcher 33, while stretched plates 34 are carried by the cups 13 of a second portion 35 of the machine to a conveyor or to a new stack 36.. Each plate handled may be at a different level, compensated for by the sliding of some pipes 23 upwardly within the pipes 21.

.The stretching machine 33 itself may be in the way of some of the cups 13 of the portion 35, when narrow sheets are being worked on, for the machine 33 is capable of use with many widths of materials. Where this is the case, these cups 13 may be locked at the very top by raising the pipe 23 until openings 37 are above the subframe beam 14 and then inserting pins through the openings 37. All the cups -13 (i.e., those of both portions) may be carried by one subframe beam 14 as shown. Height compensation is again obtained and in the same manner as before.

.In operation, the beam 14 is lowered, and the cups 13 of the portion 32 engage the stack 31 before the cups 13 of the portion 33 engage the stretched plate 34, or vice versa, but the pipes 23 and 21 provide the necessary compensation; When the device is moved to its broken-line position and lowered, the pipes 23 and 21 again provide the necessary compensations.

Two illustrations have been given of how the machine can be used. Clearly, these are only examples of its many uses.

To those skilled in the art to which this invention relates, many changes in construction and widely differing embodiments and applications of the invention will suggest themselves Without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. The disclosures and the description herein are purely illustrative and are not intended to be'in any sense limiting.

We claim: I 1. A machine for lifting plate and the like, comprising a horizontally movable main frame; a longitudinally ex- 3. The machine of claim 2 wherein there are stop means on each said second vertical member for engaging vertically up and down in and relative to each said first tending subframe beam supported by said frame for vertical movement only relative to said frame; means to raise and lower said beam; a series of vertical first pipes secured to said beam; a smaller diameter second pipe freely slidable up and down in and relative to each said first pipe; stop means on said second pipe for engaging and resting on the upper end of said first pipe to limit downward vertical movement of said second pipe; a series of generally horizontal cross-beams, each supported pivotally by a said second pipe; a series of depending vertical support members suspended from each said cross-beam; a suction cup at the bottom of each vertical support member; and spring means compressed between said cup and said cross beam whereby gross unevenness of the plate being lifted can be accommodated by individual lateral pivoting and vertical movementof some of said cross-beams relative to said main frame, smaller unevennesses being compensated by the spring means for each said cup.

2; A machine for lifting plate and the like, comprising a mainframe; a subframe supported longitudinally of said frame by said frame for vertical movement relative to said frame; means to raise and lower said subframe; a series of tubular vertical members secured to said subframe; a second vertical member freely slidable up and .down in and relative to each said tubular member; a crossbeam supported pivotally by each said second vertical memberlaterally of said frame for pivotal movement swinging in a laterally extending vertical plane; a series of depending vertical support members suspended from each said cross-beam; contact lift means at the bottom of each said support member; and spring means com- 'member; stop means on each said second member for engaging and resting on the upper end of its said first member to limit downward vertical movement of said second member; a cross-beam supported pivotally by each said second member for swinging in a vertical plane I widthwise of said frame; a series of depending vertical support members suspended from each said cross-beam; a suction cup at the bottom of each said vertical support member; and spring means compressed between each said cup and its said cross-beam. j

5. The machine of claim 4 having means for individually locking each said first member to its said second member in a position where its said cups are elevated near their said main beam. r

'6. The machine of claim 2 having removable locking means and, near the lower end of each of said second vertical members, a locking-means-receiving opening spaced sufliciently above their associated said cross-beams so that any said second vertical member may be raised above the upper end of its associated said tubular memher and said locking means inserted through said opening for locking said second member to its associated said tubular member with its associated said cross-beam at the top of its vertical movement.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Great Britain Apr. 8,

OTHER REFERENCES German printed application 1,057,767, May 21, 1959. 

1. A MACHINE FOR LIFTING PLATE AND THE LIKE, COMPRISING A HORIZONTALLY MOVABLE MAIN FRAME; A LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING SUBFRAME BEAM SUPPORTED BY SAID FRAME FOR VERTICAL MOVEMENT ONLY RELATIVE TO SAID FRAME; MEANS TO RAISE AND LOWER SAID BEAM; A SERIES OF VERTICAL FIRST PIPES SECURED TO SAID BEAM; A SMALLER DIAMETER SECOND PIPE FREELY SLIDABLE UP AND DOWN IN AND RELATIVE TO EACH SAID FIRST PIPE; STOP MEANS ON SAID SECOND PIPE FOR ENGAGING AND RESTING ON THE UPPER END OF SAID FIRST PIPE TO LIMIT DOWNWARD VERTICAL MOVEMENT OF SAID SECOND PIPE; A SERIES OF GENERALLY HORIZONTAL CROSS-BEAM, EACH SUPPORTED PIVOTALLY BY A SAID SECOND PIPE; A SERIES OF DEPENDING VERTICAL SUPPORT MEMBERS SUSPENDED FROM EACH SAID CROSS-BEAM; A SUCTION CUP AT THE BOTTOM OF EACH VERTICAL SUPPORT MEMBER; AND SPRING MEANS COMPRESSED BETWEEN SAID CUP AND SAID CROSS-BEAM WHEREBY GROSS UNEVENNESS OF THE PLATE BEING LIFTED CAN BE ACCOMMODATED BY INDIVIDUAL LATERAL PIVOTING AND VERTICAL MOVEMENT OF SOME OF SAID CROSS-BEAM RELATIVE TO SAID MAIN FRAME, SMALLER UNEVENNESSES BEING COMPENSATED BY THE SPRING MEANS FOR EACH SAID CUP. 